Kaito-dan ga Gotoku
by Ebanu8
Summary: Strange things have happened to the Phantom Thieves, and stranger things happen still when their personalities have suddenly changed. With guts, muscle and outright stupidity at times, the Phantom Thieves will cause an uproar in the streets and back alleys of Tokyo, raising hell as the Yakuza would. Collection of one-shots centred around the protagonists having Yakuza mentalities.
1. Dealing with Kamoshida, Part I

**A/N: A collection of one-shots showing the possible scenarios in Persona 5 if the Phantom Thieves operated like their possible counterparts in Yakuza, inspired by seeing them wearing their Yakuza DLC costumes in Persona 5: Dancing in Starlight. Will feature not just Akira, but also all the Phantom Thieves, along with other members of the supporting cast and some pairings.**

**This might not be updated regularly, for your information, since I am currently focusing on other stories such as Warlords of Remnant and A Legend is Remade. Furthermore, studies will take priority since school's back on. Also, I might be taking a short break from Fanfiction to work on other fics I have in progress on other sites, those being Paradox Forums and Wattpad.**

**And a slight warning: the characters might become rather OOC, since I'm a little pissed off about the no-kill policy sometimes, especially regarding certain villains.**

**With that, enjoy.**

**Dealing with Kamoshida, Part I**

Life at Shujin was never easy for the students there, most especially not with the P.E. teacher Kamoshida making things hell for them; his cardinal crimes were deliberately injuring them during volleyball practice with a masked sadistic glee, always acting as if it was due to an accident, and sexually assaulting and abusing the female members of the volleyball team, viewing them as nothing more than outlets for sexual pleasure.

Two students, both labeled as outcasts and treated as such, had taken it upon themselves to expose Kamoshida's wrongdoings for all to see, and to do so, they needed definitive proof; from asking Kamoshida's victims to the newspaper club, all methods within their reach were tried, but they soon come to terms with the harsh reality: the school management was deliberately keeping it all under wraps. And with Shiho - an apparent victim of Kamoshida's abuse - attempting to commit suicide at the school's premises, both could agree that this had gone too far.

To make matters worse, Kamoshida had deliberately spread word of Akira's criminal record, and even spread the word for Akira, Mishima and Ryuji to be expelled from the school, barely weeks into the first semester. With the bad reputation on their backs, it made them all the more harder to dig up dirt on him on the school grounds without arousing suspicion, and now even the newspaper club was trying to wash its hands of the whole affair with the P.E. teacher.

As such, the two of them sat down in frustration at one of the school's hangout spots, replete with a vending machine stocked with drinks and two benches of wood and steel, worn from use yet lacking any visible grime and dust, a testament to the cleanliness imparted by the constant, methodical cleaning performed by the school's janitors.

"Damn it!" Ryuji cursed, slamming his fist on his knee, "Why the hell's the school keeping quiet about it all!? Can't they see that what Kamoshida's doing is just wrong?"

"It seems the higher-ups don't want any rumours or scandals that could blemish the school's reputation," Said Akira, who shared his friend's frustration, "Shujin is a prestigious academy, after all; it wouldn't come as a surprise if that's the case."

"I know that!" Ryuji shouted, "Even so, this is just too much. If no one's going to take care of Kamoshida, then who will!?"

Morgana poked his head out of Akira's bag, saying, "Calm down, you two; if we act rashly, we're only going to do so in Kamoshida's favour, and that's what he wants us to do. Right now, we need to calm down, and think of a solution."

"Morgana's right about this," Said Akira, "But how do we go about this, though? Since we can't stop him by conventional means, our options are very limited."

"That's where the Metaverse comes in," Morgana stated, "Remember the castle we went to, the one that appeared in place of this school?"

"You called that a Palace, yes?" Stated Akira, "Are you saying we'll have to do something there?"

"Precisely. You catch on quick," Morgana said, "And as for what we'll be doing there, it will be stealing his treasure, located in the deepest parts of Kamoshida's Palace."

"The hell? Stealin' a treasure? How the hell's that gonna help us?" Ryuji questioned, "'Sides, I kinda feel like punching the living daylights outta him."

"And as I said, entertaining such thoughts will only be to our detriment!" Morgana emphasised, "What we've got to do is keep rational minds and-"

"Screw being rational! I just want to sock that bastard in the face!" Ryuji hotly interjected.

And very quickly, the conversation descended into a verbal fight between cat and human, and Akira tuned out the argument as he stood up to stretch his legs.

Thirsty for a drink, Akira walked to the vending machine and looked at the selection it offered. Oolong tea, green tea, root beer and coca cola, to name a few of the selectable options available for purchase were offered by the machine, in exchange for the right amount of change fed into its ravenous coin slot. Yet as Akira looked into his wallet, he realised that he only had enough for lunch, with no change to spare for a simple drink.

Granted, he could always drink water, but like many teenagers, he craved a flavoured drink, be it sweet or fizzy. Even chocolate milk would be a preferable option.

Turning around to sit back down on the bench, his eyes caught two small glass bottles laying on the floor, placed upright and in a corner that while obstructed view of these bottles from other angles, allowed Akira to see them in plain sight. Picking them up, Akira found them no smaller than his hand, and each was secured with a metallic cap. The labels, however, were what caught his eye.

The label featured the words 'Staminan X' in bold yellow kanji, and a special emphasis was placed on the 'X', with a large red one in the centre of the label.

_Now that's strange, _Thought Akira, _This doesn't look like any sort of drink you can just buy at a grocery store or department store, so what's it doing here? More importantly, who bought this and left it here?_

Akira was tempted to simply leave the bottles of Staminan there, but then again, there was the issue of his cravings for a flavoured drink, and that of his limited allowance. Moreover, whoever bought the drink and left it might have already forgotten it by now, and if some random passerby were to take it, he would probably never see it again.

_You know what? Forget it; I might as well share a bottle of this with Ryuji while I'm at it, _Thought Akira, _Might as well not let it go to waste._

"Ryuji, feeling thirsty?" Akira asked, "Found something for us to drink."

Raising eyebrows at the proffered bottle, Ryuji remarked, "The hell's this? Some sort o' supplement or somethin'? I thought you'd be givin' me some coke or tea or something."

"Unfortunately, I don't have enough spare change to buy a drink, much less two," Akira stated, "And besides, since I found them and they're not expired or anything, they're pretty much safe to drink, right?"

"Uh huh," Ryuji mouthed, unsure of the drink offered to him, "'Staminan X'. Any idea what it is, then? Sure as hell hoping it's not some sorta disgusting health drink made of blended veggies or something."

"Ryuji, for one thing, I checked the ingredient list," Said Akira flatly, "No veggies, no fruits, no nothing that makes it a suspicious concoction."

"So what, you're saying we should just drink this stuff since you happened to find it lying around?" Ryuji said, "Not to sound pessimistic, but I'm not sure it's even a regular drink you'd just buy from any random store on the street."

"Funny, I was thinking the same thing," Said Morgana.

"So was I," Akira admitted, "But come on, you wouldn't be such a jerk just to toss it away or anything, are you? Especially when it's your good friend offering it to you?"

Ryuji groaned slightly; being the cheeky bastard he was at times, Akira was also quite the smooth talker, easily able to sway most people with that honeyed tongue of his. And he was damned good at swaying him to try the proffered drink that he just so happened to find lying around somewhere, for no apparent reason other than that he somehow found it lying around.

With a sigh and a smile, Ryuji took the bottle, saying, "Thanks, then, I guess."

After all, who was he to doubt Akira, his good friend? He certainly had no ill intention behind his offering of the drink, and he most definitely had no reason to try and feed him something that was expired or which had confirmed strange effects on his body. If there were any such effects, it'd simply be because Akira had no idea about said side effects. That, and like Akira, he was thirsty for a drink.

Opening his bottle, he clinked it with Akira's, saying, "Bottoms up."

"Bottoms up," Replied Akira.

"Wait, hold it! Don't go drinking suspicious-looking-"

Sadly for Morgana, before he could finish his warning, Akira and Ryuji had already finished their drinks, the empty bottles promptly thrown away into the nearby rubbish bin.

"...Drinks," He muttered, cursing the ill-timing of his words.

For a few moments, nothing happened to the two, as if the drinks had no effect on their physical state of health.

"Huh. Seems nothing's happening," Said Ryuji, "Though that Staminan did taste kinda strange, like some sorta blandish-tasting soup?"

"It definitely wasn't sweet, or tasty for that matter," Said Akira, "I'd say this Staminan's more sold for it's possible effects on the body than anything, I'd say."

Morgana could only shake his head at the two; since when did they only worry about the taste of a suspicious-looking drink? If he were either of them, he'd worry more about the side effects and leave it be instead, rather than just chug it down without a care in the world.

"Oh well, we can talk about Kamoshida later," Ryuji said as he got up, "Come on, Akira, shall we-"

All of a sudden, however, Ryuji clutched his stomach as a strangled scream struggled to free itself from his mouth. The pain was like hot irons driven into his stomach, churning and crushing his insides like they were mush, and it was not a pleasant feeling. A great heat permeated his stomach as well, and soon it spread throughout his body as well, and it felt as if he were being baked in a hellishly hot oven, his skin terribly warm to the touch.

"H...H..."

And like Ryuji, Akira fell to the floor, clutching his stomach as well. Rivers of sweat cascaded down his skin like miniature waterfalls, and he was soon subject to the same kind of excruciating pain Ryuji was currently enduring.

"O-Oi! Hang in there, you two!" Morgana shouted, "Doctor! Doctor! Is there a doctor around here!?"

"Ah!"

The gasp of a girl could be heard, and the source of it was Ann herself, the part-time model who was nearly subject to Kamoshida's ill-treatment. Having seen the state her two fellow Phantom Thieves were in, she quickly dropped her bag and knelt down to inspect them.

"Oh my god! What happened to them!?" Exclaimed Ann, "Morgana, do you have any idea!?"

The volume of her words was bound to draw in more than a few eavesdroppers, but at that point, she cared little about that, and more about the state of her fellow schoolmates.

"They chose to drink something that Akira just happened to find lying around somewhere," Morgana said, more exasperated than worried, "Apparently it was something called 'Staminan X', don't really know how it works."

"Staminan?" Ann wondered, "Never heard of that kind of drink before. Even so, we'd better get them to the nurse's office; this isn't any place for them to rest."

"You mean you've gotta get them to the nurse's office," Said Morgana, "I'm in cat form right now, remember?"

"Oh, right. You can't carry either of them, and you can't risk getting caught on school ground right now," Ann said, "Guess I'll just have to find someone who can help."

And laying eyes upon a certain brown-haired Student Council President, Ann called out to her, saying, "Excuse me! Mind helping me carry these two to the nurse's office?"

IIOII

It was a herculean effort for the two women carrying the two students now unconscious, but at last they made it to the nurse's office, where they unceremoniously tossed them onto the vacant beds lined with white linen, and the two women then plopped onto nearby chairs once their task was done, both panting heavily from their recent heavy exertion.

"Man, they're heavy as hell, and we're just not cut out for such work," Ann lamented, rubbing her sore shoulders, "Just how the hell did a simple drink of Staminan make them like this, again?"

"I can't say for sure," Said Makoto, barely able to lift her arms, "I don't know just what effects Staminan has on the Human body, but from what little information I gleamed about it, it doesn't give people seizures or make them lose consciousness."

"Seriously!?" Ann complained, "And just how did they manage to find two bottles of that stuff, anyway?"

"Maybe someone snuck it into the campus and forgot to take it with them? That should be the most logical explanation, given how easily Akira found it," Makoto said, "By the way, you seem rather familiar..."

"Oh, really?"

"I think I've seen your face being featured on the front page of a fashion magazine, once," Said Makoto, "I don't really read such things, though."

"That's because I'm a part-time model," Explained Ann, "Name's Ann, Takamaki Ann."

"Niijima Makoto," Said the Student Council President, "Sorry, but I have to go. I've got work to do."

"Oh, I see. See you then, wouldn't want to keep you for long," Said Ann.

Though the words sounded nice and kind, Ann harboured a mistrust of Makoto, due primarily to the rumours spread by Shujin students who harboured a long-standing mistrust of her; the principal's lap dog, a robot of a student, and more names were what they called her, since she did nothing but follow Principal Kobayakawa's orders without question, and as an honour student, she placed all her focus on studying with no time for play and relaxation, almost like a robot.

Though a part of her wanted to believe otherwise, Ann knew better to play it safe for now; if she ever caught wind about their double identity as Phantom Thieves, there's no telling whether she would use that information to blackmail them or even arrange for their expulsion.

_Though right now, I have to worry more about these two idiots; just how long are they gonna lie down unconscious like that? There's only about two more weeks before the expulsion date! _Ann thought angrily, then sighed, _Oh well, I'll just have to hope they wake up soon enough; can't afford to miss out too much on class. Hopefully Morgana didn't get caught either._

And so Ann promptly left the two idiotic Phantom Thieves in the nurse's office and quickly dashed back to her classroom, hoping that she was not too late in attending the next lesson.

IIOII

Akira felt no small amount of pain in his head as he struggled to awaken, the effects of the Staminan X yet to wear off. His gut was on fire, and his head feeling like it was reduced to mush after a thorough pummeling. It took great effort to tough it out, and it was no easy feat. Yet endure it he did, and he found himself awakening in the nurse's office, his friend Ryuji laying comatose in a bed alongside him, bone-white sheets warming their backs on the beds they lay on.

Rubbing his head in a futile effort to assuage some of the pain, he soon found Morgana poking his head out of his schoolbag, the cat directing a stern and displeased look at him as he did.

"And mind telling me what just possessed you to try that Staminan X?" Morgana said, exceptionally upset, "You were thrashing about like you were suffering constipation, for goodness' sake! If it were any worse, forget conducting our exploits in the Metaverse, we wouldn't even be able to attend school! Are you two idiots or what!?"

"You sound a lot more upset than usual," Akira obviously stated, slightly sheepish.

"Of course I'm upset!" Morgana exclaimed, "At least Lady Ann was nearby to call for help and haul your asses here! Who knows what would've happened if she wasn't!"

"Urgh..."

Ryuji, having managed to regain consciousness, sat up wearily on the bed, his half-lidded eyes barely open from the grogginess that beset them, his brown eyes barely focused on his surroundings.

Blinking several times, he found himself muttering, "Staminan X... more like Grogginess X."

"Uh huh, and you're realising that now?" Morgana pointedly said, his eyes narrowed, "Mr. 2.6 g.p.a.?"

"Shut up, Mona... I already have this damn migraine to deal with, I don't need your yappin' in my ear as well," Ryuji complained, rubbing the bridge of his nose.

"Well, now that you've all woken up, I say we lay out some ground rules, and I expect you both to follow them," Morgana said sternly, "First off, no drinking any Staminan X."

"That's a given," Akira said, nodding.

"Secondly, no picking up any random unidentified drinks that just so happen to be lying in a little corner within our eyesight," Said the Cat, "You don't pick them up, you don't see them, you don't even do so much as blink at them, understand?"

"We got it," Ryuji muttered, only to receive a slight scratch on his cheek from Morgana's claws.

"You're obviously not listening to me, Stuji," Said Morgana, eliciting an irritated expression from the blonde-haired student.

"The hell did you just call me!?" Shouted Ryuji.

Akira rubbed his forehead in exasperation, knowing that the argument between them would last for minutes more and would severely delay their re-entry into class. Harrumphing loudly to gain their attention, he said, "As much as the two of you would like to argue, might I remind you that we need to report back to class? School's still on, you know."

Looking at the time displayed on a clock hung on the wall, Ryuji exclaimed with panic, "Oh shit! Kawakami-sensei's class's already started! And we're five minutes late!"

And with the speed of a motorcycle, the two students hastily got up from their beds and rushed back towards their respective classrooms, their feet causing dust clouds to form upon their exit, leaving a stunned and half-exasperated Morgana to stare dumbly at the door from whence they left. Sighing heavily, the cat turned to leave via an open window, lest a student or a teacher catch him lurking and expel him promptly from the school, perhaps even hand him over to one of those animal care centres.

And in his powerless cat form, in a world where the rules of the Metaverse do not apply, he would be hard-pressed to escape an animal care centre were he to ever be caught.

_Let's just hope nothing strange happens afterwards; I hate to think of the possibility of any side-effects, even if they don't seem to show right now, _Were the cat's thoughts.

Little did he know, however, that this strange phenomenon would not simply stop there.

IIOII

Barely seven minutes into Kawakami's class, and already yet another case of fainting on the school premises was reported, and this time the victim was Takamaki Ann.

It had started just a minute after Akira and Ryuji had made it back to class to receive a slight berating from Kawakami to not be late for class and to not faint on school premises again, and just a minute after classes resumed after the brief interruption, when news came of Ann's fainting from a panicked student who barged into class, forgoing all formalities and consideration as he quickly told of the reason behind Ann's absence from Akira's classroom.

Initial panic ensued in the class, the students fervently whispering to one another as they engaged second-guessing of the possible causes behind Ann's losing consciousness. Some put forth utterly nonsensical theories, and most made wild guesses without carefully thinking through the logic behind them. Though Kawakami did not hold much clout as a teacher, she at least managed to marshall enough authority and ordered the students to quieten down.

As for the poor messenger, he made sure to return to class after receiving confirmation from his friend that Ann was resting at the nurse's office, though much to Akira's and Morgana's utter shock and the others' confusion, he reported seeing an empty glass bottle in Ann's hand when he and his friend found her unconscious in the school courtyard. Worse still, that same bottle bore the 'Staminan X' label, and the transfer student and cat knew that Ann would not be conscious for a while yet.

"You've got to be kidding me," Morgana lamented within the confines of Akira's schoolbag, "First you two drink it, then Lady Ann? Just what's going to happen next, the whole school drinking it?"

"You sound awfully upset about it," Akira whispered, eyes darting around the classroom to ensure no one overheard him.

"Of course I'm upset!" Morgana whispered back, albeit harshly, "I mean, it's Lady Ann we're talking about, and I can't stop thinking what kind of pain she's experiencing as a result of her drinking that stuff!"

Of course Morgana would worry greatly about Ann; she is the cat's love interest, after all.

Akira felt his phone vibrate, and stealthily looking at the screen from under his desk, he saw a number of messages from Ryuji, and he could already guess the topic he wanted to discuss.

[**R**]: Yo, dude! Y'hear 'bout Ann drinkin' that stuff!?

[**R**]: And that the same shit's happenin' with her as it did with us?

[**R**]: Hope she's okay right now, though I gotta wonder who left that Staminan shit lying 'round in the first place.

Akira rolled his eyes, thinking, _Of course we heard about it all, dumbass; my whole class was just thinking about the same thing._

And wasting no time, Akira quickly typed his response back to Ryuji.

[**A**]: We already heard about what happened to Ann.

[**A**]: Whole class's whispering wildly about it and thinking all sorts of theories about how Ann got that Staminan and other stuff.

[**R**]: Dude, really?

[**R**]: Guess I shouldn't underestimate how fast rumours fly.

[**R**]: By the way, think we should discuss how t'deal with Kamoshida later? Maybe meet somewhere no one can see or hear us?

Akira nodded at the thoughtfulness Ryuji displayed in that message; there was a need to employ secrecy when Kamoshida was involved, especially with their currently precarious situation.

_At least he has that much sense, being the absolutely clueless musclebrain he is,_ Thought Akira wryly, a smirk crossing his lips.

[**A**]: We'd better do so at my place; no one will eavesdrop on us there.

[**R**]: Great! Will see y'there after school!

And with that, Akira quickly placed his phone back into his pocket, eagerly awaiting for classes to end as he anticipated the discussion he would soon have with Ryuji at Leblanc's attic. And with Ann too, if possible, should she awaken from her slight coma soon enough.

**A/N: It's shorter than I would have liked, as I wanted to write more before posting this chapter, but I'm under some tight schedule constraints, and other things need my attention. Regardless, here it is.**

**And have a pleasant spring, for those living in temperate climate countries.**


	2. Dealing with Kamoshida, Part II

**A/N: I know I said this was a collection of one-shots, but some of them might end up being two or three-shots, like this one.**

**God Emperor Of GAR-Halla: **Oh, yes. ;)

**Dealing with Kamoshida, Part II**

His head still pounded slightly since his awakening from his coma, the side-effects of the Staminan X yet to fade away, Akira thought blithely. Yet with all the pain that rampaged uncontrollably within the confines of his skull, he was left unfazed; he suffered worse during his childhood, being beaten by bullies and punks and suffering a high fever in eighth grade, et cetera. Hence, a little headache felt more like a dull itch in comparison.

Thankfully, he managed to board the train to Yongen-Jaya and find a seat to rest upon, his head resting on a pane of glass as he rested throughout the entire way, and with Morgana acting as his eyes and ears for the ride, he managed to alight at the station with the appropriate guidance.

Yet even as he walked towards the cafe which served as his home, already he found it difficult to walk straight, his head light as jelly, and he had to lean on a wall or railing at times to steady himself as he attempted to regain some semblance of lucidity.

"Ugh... this is worse than I thought," Akira mumbled to himself, his face scrunched in a mix of deep concentration and giddiness, "Oh god, I think I need to... sit down for a bit..."

Morgana said nothing, having already lectured him and the other two Phantom Thieves over the matter, instead yawning indifferently to Akira's current suffering.

With a still-persisting headache and little in the way of money, he was forced to take a seat at one of the public benches lining the pavement, laying his head back as his eyes gazed at the late afternoon sky, the cascading rays of sunlight turning a slightly darker shade of yellow as they bathed the tall, monolithic skyscrapers of Tokyo in a blanket of gold. To Akira, with his headache, it seemed more like a slathering of vomit, unpleasant and disgusting to even glance at.

Laying there for a few minutes, Akira stared upwards listlessly, not moving a single inch where he sat, motionless like an inanimate statue of a lamenting man.

_I thought it'd get better after some time, but it hasn't abated at all. In fact, it's only getting worse for some reason, but why?_ Thought Akira, _This feels so much worse than when I got sick with a fever that one time during eighth grade... _

And as he sat listlessly on the bench, his eyes staring transparently at the golden-glowing sun, he felt a strange sense of nostalgia begin to manifest itself within his heart, the rays of sunlight reminding him of the honey golden rays of a setting sun, perfectly visible on the sandy beaches of the tropical paradise of Okinawa. He remembered faces, faces of young children calling him 'Uncle', their caretaker...

He thought of a small wooden building of sorts, staffed by an old man that served as its caretaker and housed by eight children that called it home. He thought of another old man and two young men, hailing from a small-time Yakuza family that held no real power as a clan, but were closer like a real family. The chaos that engulfed their lives, their eventual deaths... all of it seemed so hauntingly familiar, their faces plaguing his dreams as he beheld their dying moments-

_What the hell...? _Akira suddenly thought, derailing his earlier train of thought, _Why am I thinking up these things now? And those faces... why do I feel so... sad? Why does it hurt to even think of them?_

Shaking his head, he resolved to push such thoughts to the back of his mind, and muttered, "Well, might as well make my way to Leblanc; can't keep Ryuji waiting forever."

Having rested for a few minutes, he stood up and tried to walk, but the headache only became worse, the dull throbbing becoming increasingly unbearable, the pain excruciating. It was as if his head was repeatedly smashed against a wall and set on fire. Worse still, he was assaulted by a sudden bout of horrendous nausea, and he felt the urge to empty his stomach.

With what little lucidity and clear-mindedness he had, he drunkenly staggered towards a nearby alleyway where few hardly traversed, and without a care in the world, he vomited into the nearest rubbish bin he could find, emptying a meal's worth of liquidated gastric content into the half-full container.

_For God's sake, why is it only getting worse and worse...? _Thought Akira, his mind far too muddied to think clearly.

"Oh? What have we here?"

Unable to make out his surroundings clearly, his eyes darted around dizzily, unable to make out clearly the source of the voice and the direction it originated from. What he could make out, however, were five forms approaching him, all dressed in casual clothing and wielding what seemed to be weapons of sorts; he could vaguely make out baseball bats and rods, but that was it; the finer details escaped his mind.

From the sneering and domineering tone, however, Akira had no doubt they were street punks, a few among many that festered in the back alleys and streets of Tokyo.

"Looks like a young high school student, boys. You've got the shittiest luck, walking alone in a place like this," One of the punks mocked, "Don't you know this is our turf?"

"Your... turf?" Akira muttered, his eyes barely making out the punk's form.

"That's right. You went and trespassed on it, and now you go ahead and vomit here? That's real bad form, you know."

"I... didn't know..." Akira muttered, wishing for his nausea to dissipate at that moment.

"Sure, sure. Everybody says that," Said one of the punks, "Point is, you did something you shouldn't, and you know what happens to trespassers here?"

Akira received his answer when another punk pulled him up by the collar, his bag dropping onto the floor, and punched him in the face, sending him flying to the ground.

"We beat the shit out of them."

Akira, with all the strength he could muster, tried to get up, but he could not, the reasons being his worsening nausea and the punks ganging up on him, beating him up with sadistic glee on their faces. Morgana, in his cat form, could do nothing for Akira without his powers, and he knew he was no match for the punks.

"Akira!" He shouted, "Just hold tight for now! I'll get help as fast as I can!"

And with all the speed a cat could muster, Morgana dashed off and out of the alleyway, with hopes that someone would answer his call for help even if all they heard was a cat's desperate meows.

And as Akira was subject to a relentless beating at the hands of the punks, scenes suddenly flashed before his very eyes, scenes that somehow felt very familiar to him. And with them, voices of people Akira never met before, but who somehow seemed very familiar to him, as if he knew them in the past.

_"Forgive me, Kazuma... Your parents were killed by me..."_

_"I'll kill you, surpass Kazama, and I'll become the Dragon of Dojima."_

_"Be sure to savour it, Brother. That's your last smoke."_

_"In the Yakuza life, there are no KO's. As long as I'm alive, I'll keep getting back up for more."_

_"... Don't like the Kansai part, 'cause there can only be one Dragon."_

No matter the pain he suffered, no matter the blows rained upon his body, the flashes never stopped, only becoming more intense by the minute.

_"...If I bring the Dragon of Dojima to heel, I'll bring the Jingweon Mafia into a new epoch."_

_"Me and you were gonna have to duke it out sooner or later. Might as well be now."_

_"If I'm the last man standin', I'm just as likely to end up crushin' both Tojo Clan and Omi Alliance..."_

_"... I'll surpass you, and earn my place as a legend among the Yakuza."_

And as those flashes came and went, he felt a sudden surge of strength within his body, a strangely euphoric feeling akin to that of feeling the depths of pleasure. A burning desire, a motivation, to stand and fight.

And stirring within his heart was the prevalent, overflowing desire to fight, threatening to explode outwards like a volcano.

And there he felt it. He felt the boiling rage and adrenaline pumping wildly through his heart.

He _felt the heat._

"Now die, you bastard!"

And with great force, a baseball bat swung overhead, threatening to smash his head. Ever so closer it inched towards his head, waiting to draw first blood.

And it was intercepted by a block from Akira's forearm.

"W-What the hell!?" Was the punks' collective gasp of surprise as Akira stood up, seemingly unperturbed by the pain he felt from the bruises inflicted on his body, his eyes locked in a steely, defiant gaze that radiated anger and confidence.

The earlier nausea was all but gone, a thing of the past as Akira stood perfectly lucid and sober, ready to rumble.

In response to Akira's sudden gain of a second wind, the punk with a baseball bat tried to attack him again. And for his trouble, he was rewarded with a sickeningly sweet punch to the face, his nose broken and bleeding from the heavy hit, and he was unable to get up again. Having lost his grip on his bat as a result, said object landed right into Akira's hands.

"H-How is he so... strong...?" The injured punk whimpered, before fainting on the ground.

The other punks retreated backwards slightly, not believing the sudden display of strength their prey displayed. In response to this, one of the punks shouted, "H-Hey, bring the boss and the others here! We're gonna need some additional backup!"

That would prove needless, however, for their reinforcements had already arrived; twenty punks, not counting the leader who came with them, sauntered into the alleyway where they were, either hefting steel pipes, rods or long wooden poles in their hands, or cracking their knuckles in anticipation of their next fight. Their leader, a young boy around Akira's age, dressed in casual clothes with piercings on his lips and nose and red hair cut in a mohawk hairstyle, stepped forward to face Akira, brass knuckles gleaming in his fists.

"So, you've come trespassing onto our territory, and then proceed to knock out one of my boys, eh?" Said the leader, "Didn't expect you to suddenly be so strong, but I don't appreciate anyone stirring up trouble on our turf."

"Really? I wasn't aware I was trespassing into the turf of some two-bit thugs," Akira responded, eliciting an outraged response from the punks, "And you are all about to die."

"Huh? The hell did you say, you bastard!?" Said the leader, "I thought about letting you go, but you just had to go piss us off! No way we're letting you live, asshole!"

"Think you've got the advantage just with your numbers?" Akira taunted, "I'll tell you one thing: I'm really pissed off right now. And the mess I'm about to make of you assholes? Bad luck on your part."

"Really, now?" Said the leader, "Well, how about you just die already!?"

"You're the ones who're going to die," Akira clarified, cracking his knuckles as he assumed a stance that felt oddly familiar to him, "And if any of you wish to die, come at me!"

IIOII

Morgana ran as fast as the wind, hastening to Leblanc as fast as his legs could carry him; his attempts at garnering assistance from local bystanders or police officers ended in abysmal failure, a combination of said people being unable to understand him, and them petting him affectionately as he tried to approach them, causing a severe delay in his attempts to get help. Now, his only hope was either Ryuji or Ann, the former probably already at Leblanc, and the latter's whereabouts unknown to him.

It wasn't difficult navigating the streets of Yongen-Jaya, the neighbourhood's layout having become very familiar to him in the first few days he wandered around; the back alleys, the nooks and crannies most would not see, the corners that allowed him to dart around unseen, all of them Morgana could recall from the back of his mind, and he used that knowledge to its fullest effect, taking the shortest route available to quickly arrive at Leblanc.

And lo and behold, the cafe was within his sight as he exited the alleyway he was in, the familiar oaken door showing an illuminated cafe from within, the cafe's regulars drinking their coffee and Sojiro tending to the counter as he calmly smoked a freshly-lit cancer stick.

Entering the cafe, he quickly darted into the cafe, ignoring the startled gasps of the patrons and Sojiro's questioning as he frantically scanned the cafe for his quarry.

And there he was, the blond-haired delinquent student of Shujin, lazily sipping a cup of coffee without the slightest care in the world as his eyes drifted from the television to the frantic cat that hopped onto his table, panting heavily and looking exhausted from running a five kilometre run.

"Morgana? The hell's gotten into ya?" He said, his voice thickly accented in kansai-ben.

"Huh...? Ryuji, when did you... start speaking like that?" Morgana muttered, gasping between words, "I mean, Akira's... Akira's in danger."

"Akira? Did he up 'n get dissed o'er by some turdbrains or somethin'?" Ryuji asked.

"He's getting beaten up by a group of thugs!" Morgana shouted, having regained his breath, "If we don't go help him now, he's done for!"

"That bad, eh? Lead the way then, cat," Said Ryuji, sipping the last drops of his coffee.

"Come on, then! And I'm not a cat!" Morgana said, his words sounding like a meow to the other patrons.

"Going somewhere?" Sojiro asked Ryuji, noticing that he hadn't paid his tab, "Cat seems worried about something."

"Jus' got somethin' urgent to take care of, boss," Ryuji stated, "I'll be back soon, will pay my bill later."

"Well, don't go too long, gotta close shop soon," Said Sojiro, "And be careful; never know when punks're going to try and hit you."

"Yeah, got it."

And with that, Ryuji and Morgana promptly left the cafe, leaving Sojiro to continue smoking his cigarette in peace.

_Never thought that boy Ryuji can speak such fluent kansai-ben,_ He thought, _And I don't know what that cat's been trying to tell him, but from the looks of it, it seems pretty important. Just hoping they don't do something stupid._

IIOII

[Insert OST: Funk Goes on - Yakuza Kiwami]

Surrounded on all sides by no fewer than twenty-six punks, their leader included, Akira calmly cracked his knuckles in grim anticipation, calmly taunting his enemies as he assumed his fighting stance. His enemies, in response, brandished their weapons and awaited for the moment to fight with sickening glee, the thought of their prey begging for mercy entertaining them to no small extent.

The first attack came, and Akira deftly sidestepped the attacker as his fist missed its target, his face unharmed as a result. As repayment, Akira hit him hard in the stomach with the force of a battering ram, sending him careening towards the wall as he crashed into it. The punk, having suffered such a devastating attack, could only gag and choke on his saliva as he clutched his abdomen in agony, unable to fight on.

Akira then sidestepped around another punk, avoiding another punch as he brandished the baseball bat he obtained. With one fluid, powerful swing to the back of the punk's calf, said punk was sent tumbling backwards as he landed on his back, and the Shujin student, not yet done, proceeded to punish him with an overhead swing to his stomach, the weapon impacting heavily and taking the wind out of his lungs.

At the sight of two of their comrades falling to Akira, one of the punks uttered, "T-This guy's strong!"

Their leader, however, shouted, "Man up, already! He's just one guy! If we all take him on at once, we'll definitely win!"

At that, the punks rallied and regained their confidence. Akira, however, merely taunted them again with a single beckoning motion, and together, the punks charged at him, weapons drawn and ready to draw blood.

When Akira answered their challenge, it was with the strength and majesty of a dragon, brute force and lethal grace combined into a deadly martial art that few could ever surpass; with an inhuman balance of agility and strength, Akira made short work of his adversaries. Each punch and kick he inflicted carried enough force behind them that bones would shatter at the first impact, each attack a devastating reminder of the power that Akira carried.

And throughout the fight, his body was alight in a cloak of bluish fire, the heat he felt only growing stronger and brighter. His fists and legs were wreathed in fire, and their power only grew.

Already ten punks were down, and the others, despite not suffering any injuries yet, were beginning to lose heart as the fight continued, many of them trying to inch backwards and back out of the fight. Still, by their leader's insistence, their fought on, spurred by the thoughts of their numerical superiority and that Akira was possibly beginning to run out of stamina the longer he fought.

_We've got to be able to win this! _Thought the punk leader, _Maybe if we draw it out longer, we might make him screw up somewhere, and that'll be our chance!_

And as he thought this, he came up with an idea; with Akira's back turned to him, he drew his bat and charged towards him, the small base of the bat aimed at his back.

So distracted by the thought that his plan might succeed, he neglected to notice the silvery blur aimed at his side, and it was too late for him to react as it slammed into his side, eliciting a great cry of pain as he fell backwards onto his rear as his eyes adjusted to discover the identity of the weapon Akira used.

And looking above him, he realised that the shadow looming above him was a heavy weapon, far too heavy for most normal people to lift with their arms, yet Akira effortlessly hoisted it above his head. With abject horror, the punk leader realised Akira's intention with the weapon he was lifting, and he could only helplessly watch as Akira brought it down upon him like a hammer of retribution, the sliver-painted motorcycle crushing him like a nut under a hammer.

For the surviving punks, there was no escape, and one by one, they fell to Akira's onslaught, their combined strength a laughable joke in the face of the legend's strength. With all of them defeated, none rose again to challenge him, and with that, Akira would no longer be delayed in his objective to reach Leblanc.

No longer delayed, save for one punk who tried to attack him from behind with a kick to the back. To his misfortune, Akira effortlessly dodged it, and with his kick landing on a wall instead, Akira proceeded to savagely bring his elbow down upon his knee, dislocating it with a sickening crunch, and turning the punk around, finished him off with a kick to the back of his head, sending him crashing down to the floor. And with that, he remained down, never getting back up.

Looking at his phone, he sighed as he muttered, "Good grief, I'm already about five minutes late. I've got no more time to waste sitting around here."

The punk leader, having been crushed earlier by a motorcycle, weakly raised his head and focused his eyes on Akira, dumbfounded that one measly student could defeat their entire gang.

"How... the fuck... is he so... strong..."

And with no strength left in his body, he fainted again, the pain too much to bear.

Just then, Morgana arrived with Ryuji in tow, and his flabbergasted expression was plainly visible for all to see.

"W-what the... How?" Morgana muttered, his mind struggling to comprehend why Akira was standing tall and the punks were on the ground, "Akira, did you...?"

"From the looks o'it, he went 'n beat the crap outta them all," Ryuji remarked, looking completely unfazed and unperturbed, as if such a scene were normal, "Heh, figures; he's jus' too damn strong fer these fuckin' idiots t'beat."

"W-What's that supposed to mean!?" Morgana retorted, "It's not like he was this strong from day one!"

"True, but then again, we did drink that Staminan X just today. Maybe it's the drink's effects, I'd say," Said Ryuji, deep in thought, "Can't say I exactly 'preciate that nausea we got, but now that I think 'bout it, my knee's not busted up no more. Feels right as rain."

"Really, now?" Wondered Akira, "In any case, we'll worry about the issue of the drink's side-effects later; Ann's probably waiting for us at Leblanc, wouldn't be polite to keep her waiting."

"Right behind you, Akira-han," Said Ryuji with a smirk.

Morgana, still dumbfounded by the evidence of Akira's display of strength, could only stare dumbly at said man as they walked towards the cafe without a care in the world, seemingly unmindful of the carnage that just ensued.

_If Akira became this strong just by drinking that Staminan X, there's no telling what it's effects'll be on Ryuji or on Lady Ann, _Morgana thought with dread, _Oh no, please not Lady Ann, anything but my beautiful Lady Ann! Please let there be no damage to her psyche, or anything at all, really! Just let there be no more effects from Staminan!_

Yet, sadly for Morgana, rarely does the world grant one's wishes.

IIOII

Takamaki Ann, part-Finnish, part-American, half-Japanese and part-time fashion model with a growing popularity, sauntered along the streets with a confident and exceedingly lax posture, a baseball bat in her hands as she happily made her way towards Leblanc, a satisfied, manic smile on her face that unsettled and terrified whoever saw her expression.

Were it anyone else, they would have mistaken her for a two-bit female thug that derived pleasure, albeit one with a pretty face and sexy figure that served a purpose for charming lecherous men to performing tasks at her bidding. Those who recognised the face of the model featured on fashion magazines would not believe the attitude she displayed, a stark contrast to her normally cheerful and rather pleasant demeanour.

Behind her, a group of punks, all sporting some form of bruises and injuries, hastily crawled away from the woman, having been bested so handily it was almost a joke. Nearby, other bystanders and passersby who witnessed the earlier fight all whispered wildly among themselves, exchanging wild theories and guesses about the strength and wealth of experience in street fighting that Ann had displayed.

"Did you see that? She just took on all fourteen of them and won!"

"That's just not possible! How can one person just win against such odds like that!?"

"She did use that baseball bat to devastating effect there..."

"I bet those punks regret trying to hit on her now."

"Still, just how is she so strong? She's a part-time model, isn't she? I didn't think she ever indulged in any street fighting."

Ignoring the whispers around her, Ann hummed a tuneless tune to herself as she sauntered along the pavement, half-expecting another fight to be around the corner.

_Man, these shits don't even make me break into a sweat. How're they so piss weak when there's so many of 'em roaming the streets of Tokyo? Guess I can't expect every damn punk to be as strong as I'd hope. _

As such thoughts crossed her mind, she sighed heavily, a sudden feeling of melancholic nostalgia manifesting itself in her heart. And as she remained ever vigilant for punks looking to pick a fight, that feeling was now mixed with a profound sense of emptiness, as if she were waiting for a certain someone to come just so she could fight him again. The sense of wanting to simply pit her guts against his - no matter the gain or loss - in a clash of prides became so profound in her heart, it was just heartbreaking when she somehow felt that wish would never be granted.

_God damn it, why do I feel so gosh darn melancholic right now? I'm gonna meet up with Akira and Ryuji t'deal with that bastard Kamoshida, and once it goes as planned, that bastard'll confess his crimes and pay the price for it, so why this feelin'? Why do I feel there's something missing from my life? _Ann thought solemnly, her lips set into a slight grimace that ruined her smile.

Having walked the streets of Yongen-Jaya, she soon came to the front entrance of the quaint little cafe, the interior still lit brightly and filled with few customers - the cafe's regulars, and Sojiro tending the counter as always.

Entering the cafe, Sojiro turned to find Ann at the doorway, baseball bat in hand, and he had to wonder just what was she doing, carrying one outside of the batting cages or a baseball field. A part of him sincerely hoped it wasn't used for more... violent purposes.

"'Scuse me, Boss," Said Ann, "Is Akira here?"

"Ah, you must be one of his friends," Said Sojiro, "He and his other friend are upstairs at the attic."

"Cool. Thanks, boss," Said Ann, before turning to walk up the stairs, uncaring of the stares some of the cafe's patrons gave her.

IIOII

When the four Phantom Thieves gathered at the attic of Leblanc, Morgana was clearly displeased with the recent turn of events; the expression he wore was so sour it could curdle milk, and his frown threatened to permanently split his face the way a smile would.

"Of all the things to happen. Of _all damn things_," Morgana slowly articulated, a slight drawl in his words, "First Akira apparently awakens to some sort of inner strength, then it happens to Ryuji, and now Lady Ann, of all people!? Oh, this day just keeps getting better!"

The other three Phantom Thieves sweatdropped at that, having not seen Morgana talk with so much sass dripping out of his words before. Neither had he been so crass either, though perhaps with everything that happened in the short span of a day, perhaps the stress he was experiencing from trying to comprehend the recent events was justified. That didn't mean they appreciated him spouting it all out in one slew of drivel, though.

Just as Akira experienced an awakening of sorts, so too did Ryuji and Ann, and in the exact same way - beating down a group of punks who held clear numerical superiority. When Morgana asked just how did they get so strong, all they could say was that they 'felt the heat'.

"Didn't think you'd be so bitchy and whiny 'bout it, Mona-chan," Said Ann, her kansai-ben thick in her words, "I mean, we got bat-shit strong now, and I feel good, now. Daresay we'd be able to take on that bastard Kamoshida, too."

"No, please, don't start talking in that accent, please," Morgana pleaded, "I don't want my memory of Lady Ann ruined anymore than it should be."

"Ah, no need to be pissin' yer pants," Said Ryuji, "'Sides, even we didn't know shit 'bout how this Staminan'd affect us, certainly not like this."

"Ryuji does have a valid point," Akira concurred, "There's no point in dwelling on the extent of Staminan's effects on us, though your concern is warranted."

"Exactly! We don't know just how much has the Staminan affected you, and if there are any additional effects yet to happen, we ought to take precautions and have ourselves examined by a certified doctor just in case!" Morgana hotly argued, his nerves becoming frayed, "And one other rule we ought to have: no acting out of line at Shujin. We're already labeled bad enough, and if we go acting like punks thirsting for a fight, things'll only become worse!"

"That we might be expelled? Don't be such a wet sob, Mona-chan," Ann reassured, "If these fucks ever dare try something like that, we can just up 'n drop a fucking lot on them cocksuckers, and they'll be none the wiser."

"Lady Ann, please! Let a poor little cat maintain his sanity for a while longer, please!" Morgana shouted, fully pleading with crocodile tears spilling out of his eyes, "And who are you calling Mona-chan!? It's Morgana or Mona, for goodness sake!"

"Yeah, that ain't a bad idea at all," Ryuji said while smirking.

"Stuji, you aren't helping at all!"

"Ryuji, have some consideration for the poor cat. He's had a rough day," Akira said, albeit mischievously and with a smirk.

"Akira, not you too... oh, forget it, I give up," Morgana said, "And I'm not a cat, damn it. I'm a Human being who suffered the misfortune of being turned into one."

"Ignoring all the sass Morgana's being giving us, he does have a point," Akira conceded, "If we go acting far too out of the ordinary, they will catch on, and worse still, Kamoshida may use it as additional ammunition to have us expelled."

"Gotcha, Akira," Ryuji said, "Still, damn glad I drank that Staminan; knee's never felt better."

Ann and Akira raised eyebrows at that, saying, "Your broken knee's fixed?"

"Damn straight," Said Ryuji, "That being said, we did gather to discuss how to infiltrate Kamoshida's palace, didn't we?"

"Oh yeah! We did come here for that reason," Ann said, as if forgetting something important, "Though we did waste a little time talking about this shit and dealing with some chummy punks."

Morgana sighed, saying, "Well, at least we're back on track. So, here's how we'll deal with Kamoshida..."

IIOII

As the Phantom Thieves reached the chamber where Kamoshida's treasure was supposed to reside, Morgana was left muttering a mantra in a corner of the room, his hands pressed against his temples as he trembled in fear of what was to come in the future; the entire way they traversed the palace, the three Human Phantom Thieves threw all caution and stealth to the wind, simply pummeling and charging their way through an army of shadows like they were paper-mache, brute strength and fast attacks being their mainstay arsenal of attacks.

And Morgana - bless the poor soul - was forced to witness the sight of Ann cackling gleefully like a psychopathic killer as she wielded the baseball bat with surprising skill, wielding it in a style that she endearingly called the Slugger style, a style that focused on heavy attacks and slow movements, an apt name, he found, despite how cruelly it was shattering his image of Ann.

At the end of it all, the shadows were pretty much petrified in fear of the three, many making an effort to not be discovered by them, just so they would not be subject to a brutal slugfest at their hands.

"No no no no no no no no no no no no... please not Lady Ann, please not Lady Ann, please not Lady Ann..."

And the other Phantom Thieves, seeing that Morgana was helplessly broken by his experiences, decided to leave the poor soul alone, gazing at a hazy glob of light that shimmered in the middle of the treasure chamber.

"So this is Kamoshida's treasure? I would have expected it to at least have a form of sorts," Akira stated, stroking his chin with his finger.

"Shitty fuck thinks o' the school as his castle, yeah?" Stated Ryuji, "I'm guessing it'd be a crown of sorts or something?"

"Who the fuck cares? A treasure's a treasure, yeah?" Ann said, casually crass as always, who then turned to Morgana and asked, "Hey, Mona-chan! Y'said somethin' 'bout getting a calling card to that Kamoshida?"

"Huh? Oh y-yeah, I did," Morgana sputtered, having snapped out of his stupor, "So, uh... all we have to do is send a calling card to Kamoshida and make sure he reads it. That way, he'll feel threatened because his treasure's about to be stolen, and the treasure here will take form. That's when we can steal it."

"Somethin' tells me that ain't all, though," Ryuji said.

"You got that right; the effect of the calling card only lasts for a full day. If we don't steal the treasure by then, it'll disappear, and the effect of the calling card can't be repeated again if that happens."

"Huh, so we'll be operatin' on a timetable," Said Ann, "Why not leave it for another day? I'm tired as fuck, and could use some rest after today."

"That... would be best," Morgana hesitantly said, still unable to fully accept the new Ann in front of him.

"You okay, Mona-chan?" Asked Ann, genuine concern in her voice, "Y'look as if you got shit in yer pants."

"N-No, I'm... fine," Morgana replied, more subdued than usual, "Nothing to be concerned about."

"Well, if you say so," Shrugged Ann.

"Then we'll meet again next Monday, and hopefully with a plan to take on Kamoshida's shadow if the need arises," Said Akira.

IIOII

Akira awoke groggily to a sunny morning as the first rays of sunlight filtered into the attic, stirring him from his slumber. Stretching his tight limbs as he yawned loudly, he craned his neck a few times, taking his time to loosen his stiff body as he awoke to a new day.

"Good morning, Morgana," Said Akira, knowing the cat was sleeping somewhere.

"Good morning, Akira," Morgana sleepily muttered, "Was it all a dream...?"

Akira scoffed at that, saying, "You wish."

"Huh? It wasn't a dream? Akira, don't joke with me, please tell me yesterday's events were all a dream, please."

At the smirk on Akira's face, Morgana let out a sorrowful, resigned sigh, saying, "There goes my image of Lady Ann, shattered like a fragile heart."

Shaking his head at Morgana's lamentation with an amused smile, Akira went to clean himself up - brushing his teeth and washing his face - and fix himself a quick breakfast, two packs of packaged salmon onigiri he purchased a day earlier from the nearby Lawson. As he bit into his breakfast, his mind drifted back to when he first awoke to his inner strength, when he singlehandedly bested twenty six punks with just his bare hands and legs.

_I have to wonder though, can this be replicated with everyone, or is it only subject to a few people? _Thought Akira, _Then again, if everyone could be this strong, the streets would be crawling with monstrously strong punks, and that would be a problem. Only question is, who else has the potential?_

Fully refreshed and with a full belly, he went back upstairs and pulled out a small sack full of clothes so dirty and smelly they would fit more in a dumpster.

"Watch yourself, Morgana. I'll be making a short trip to the laundromat," Said Akira.

"Right. Same to you too, Akira," Said the cat.

Having made his way to the laundromat, he took his time loading the dirty clothes and detergent into one of the machines, and as the clothes churned around in the machine like milk churned into butter, Akira absentmindedly began humming a tune to her, muttering a few lyrics that sounded very familiar to him, in a bit to pass time as he patiently waited for the washing to finish.

_Muchuu de Tsuranuita Itsuwari no Justice_

_(My trance was broken by false justice.)_

_Nigitte ita Hazu no Te wa Itsushika Hagurete ita_

_(I thought I was holding your hand, but before I knew it it was gone.)_

_Meguru Kisetsu Kizamu Tokei, m__ichi o Tagaeta Futari_

_(Seasons change, time ticks away, two people lost their way.)_

And as he silently tapped his fingers on his knees in rhythm with the song he sang, he felt tears prickling at his eyes, a profound sense of sorrow building within his heart. Before he knew it, he felt more melancholic as he continued singing.

_Sou Tonight Kon'ya mo_

_(So tonight, and tonight.)_

_Mata Tonight Tameiki Tsuku_

_(Again tonight, breathe a sigh.)_

_Hitorikiri ja Uwagakenai Omoide_

_(While I'm all alone, these memories can't be changed.)_

_Naa Tonight Chikai no_

_(Ah tonight, I'll wait.)_

_Sou Tonight Basho de Matsu yo_

_(Yeah tonight, at our usual place.)_

_Konna Yoru wa Omae ni Aeru Ki ga Shite_

_(On a night like this, it feels like I'll meet you.)_

_Futari Mata Aruite ikeru nara_

_(If the two of us can walk together again.)_

_Mune no Furukizu mo Hoo Tsutau Namida mo,_

_(The old heartbreaks, the tears on our cheeks,)_

_Waraibanashi Kaete miseru sa_

_(I'll show you how to turn them into funny stories.)_

The lyrics brought a sense of bitter nostalgia, the thought of a man he once called brother crossing his mind. A man that promised to fight alongside him no matter the foe, no matter the situation, even if it meant crossing a line few dared to cross, save, perhaps, for some hardliner police officers, and most certainly the Yakuza.

_God, I feel so mournful all of a sudden, _Thought Akira, _It's not like I was bereaved any loving family member or a good friend of mine just yesterday; why am I feeling so sad, then? What's the cause of this?_

Just then, he heard the machine stop spinning, and he wiped a single tear from his eye as he opened the machine, revealing clean sets of clothes that were immaculate and spotless, as if they had just been freshly tailored and washed. Among them, he found pairs of shoes as well, shoes that seemed more befitting of the Yakuza, what with their tacky designs and colours. The clothes he found, on the other hand, all sported colours that seemed more trendy in the eighties than in the present day.

Shifting through them, he found a maroon red shirt, grey slacks and a grey jacket, and a pair of snakeskin leather shoes that glittered like silver, and instantly he felt the desire to keep them as part of his wardrobe. An idea also struck him at this time, and immediately he took out his phone and began messaging his friends.

One thing he knew, their fashion was about to undergo a dramatic change.

IIOII

The next morning, where most students were making their way towards school, those of Shujin did so with great reluctance, memories of Kamoshida making an already stressful school experience even more bitter, and the fact that the management was keeping quiet about it made it far less bearable. With Shiho's attempted suicide and Mishima's bruising, the students had resigned themselves to a bitter fate, destined never to escape.

"Kinda hoping Kamoshida takes it easy on us..."

"You kidding? He's a damn sadistic bastard! No way he's going easy on us! I'd say he'd go as easy on us as he went easy with Mishima."

"God damn it, and there was Shiho's suicide as well... what is the school coming to?"

Yet even as they exchanged banter, their eyes would come upon a sight none would ever think possible.

Akira, the transfer student with a criminal record, walked the streets dressed in a maroon red shirt, the top two buttons unbuttoned - which gave a view of his chiseled chest, the sleeves neatly rolled up just past his elbows, grey slacks and silver-coloured snakeskin leather shoes, his plain-looking black schoolbag poorly complementing the old-fashioned outfit.

With the lack of his vanity glasses, there was a clear view of his grey eyes, and many had to admit that he was exceptionally handsome, with a well-toned body and roguish, chiseled features. Admittedly, his outfit, while clearly out of style, somehow seemed to complement his image of an attractive man. His face, however, was more intimidating than it was before... whatever happened that caused him to develop a taste for such fashion.

Ryuji, the delinquent drop-out of the Shujin track team, wore similar, if not more modern fashion, his outfit consisting of a pinstriped over a dark brown shirt, matching slacks and a pair of white wingtips, all under a light beige coat with a strip of black fur around the collar and down the front. Like Akira, his bleached hair was slicked backwards, and he had a roguish smile that belonged to the face of a delinquent - befitting of his intimidating image. His small schoolbag now looked so alien it blended as well with his new clothes as oil mixed with water.

Ann's outfit, however, was by far the most outrageous of the three; with a snakeskin leather jacket over the white shirt of her Shujin uniform, black, tight leather pants that accentuated her slim figure, and steel-tipped leather boots, she had by far the tackiest set of clothing out of the three, and for some odd reason, she also wore a black eye patch over her left eye that bore a silver snake emblem. On her hip was a short piece of intricately decorated, polished, black wood, adorned with motifs of sakura trees. Her facial expression, however, was that of an unhinged woman, a psychopathic person ready to unleash hell on any who dared cross her.

All students made sure to give them a wide berth as they walked towards the school, more freaked out by them than they ever were in the past few days. The three paid no attention to them, idly chatting about daily events and other mundane topics.

"Oh my god, what is she wearing!?"

"How do they even afford those clothes? They must've cost a fortune!"

"You don't think they're involved with the Yakuza, do you?"

One thing was for certain; they would be the talk of the school for a good few weeks.


	3. Dealing with Kamoshida, Part III

**A/N: Been watching a little too much John Wick. Anyone up for making Akira the Japanese John Wick? PM me if you want it.**

**lotsofawesome2525: **I did say there would be stupidity involved. XP

**Luckenhaft: **Most likely so. By the way, who's the old man you mentioned? Not sure if I get your reference.

**imded(guest): **Oh, yes indeed. Interesting idea of portraying Akechi as Nishikiyama, but I don't really have plans to write him as such. But who knows? My plans might have a few changes.

**Dealing with Kamoshida, Part III**

The mood in Akira's classroom was nothing short of tense - tense being the understatement of the century. The tension was so thick one could feel it cut through the air like a sharpened knife, and everyone's hairs were sticking on their ends, thanks in no small part to the intimidating aura and classy clothes Akira and Ann wore. Now the students had even more reason to shy away from the two of them, and Akira internally sighed, rubbing his head to soothe his headache.

_Was wearing our new clothes really a good idea? _Thought Akira, _They just make us stand out even more, come to think of it. And I'm guessing high school students aren't meant to be intimidating in general, only bullies._

"U-Um... Akira-kun?"

The one asking was Kawakami-sensei, their homeroom teacher, whose knees were buckling beneath her, sweat flowing down her cheeks in rivers.

"Yes?"

The response, however simple and harmless it seemed, only served to cause the poor teacher to yelp in surprise, perhaps fearing that her next words would seal her fate.

"W-W-What's with your clothing, might I ask? And Ann's, too," Sadayo asked, her words shaky, her teeth chattering, "I-It's not going against the school regulations, a-are they?"

Akira gestured to his collar, and one could see the Shujin emblem tailored to it, identifying him as a student of the school. Ann, too, had the Shujin emblem tailored to her white shirt, with red and gold buttons.

"We have the emblems on our shirts," Akira stated, "Therefore, we are not going against the school rules."

"Um, sure... it's just, well..." Sadayo muttered, "That's rather gaudy clothing, I have to say. Moreover, I don't recall seeing you wear such clothing for the first week of school. What, um... brought about the change of fashion?"

"What're ya talking 'bout? We just decided to change clothes 'cause we wanna, y'know, teach?" Said Ann.

"Teach? What's with calling me that? And why are you suddenly speaking in kansai-ben?" Was the teacher's questions.

"Uh? The hell's it to you, teach?" Was Ann's harsh reply, her deep frown, intimidating aura and eyes of anger serving to intimidate the poor teacher again, her legs beginning to buckle once again, "What I wear to school ain't your fuckin' business, so piss off, you bloody hag."

The other students watched with trepidation, fearful that Ann was about to explode in rage as her hands grasped the handle of her baseball bat, and Sadayo looked in shock, fearing that she may truly be attacked by one of her own students.

Her fear, however, would be cut short by an unexpected source of help.

"Stop right there," Was Akira's response, sounding more like an order than a request, "Hands down."

Ann turned around to retort, but was confronted with Akira's iron will, and the steely gaze in his grey eyes reflected the silent command that the transfer student delivered to the part Finnish girl, and with a heavy sigh, Ann sat back down, dropping all pretense of confronting the teacher that most students in their class had come to dislike.

The other students hastily whispered among themselves, wondering just how did Akira, with a single command and a harsh look, convinced the psychopathic-looking girl to stand down. For Sadayo, she sighed in relief, thankful that the imminent threat had passed, though she made a mental note to be extra careful around the mad woman that was Takamaki Ann.

"Did you see that!? She was about to use that bat of hers!"

"Fuck, she really looked ready to explode at that moment. Thank god the transfer student intervened."

"Wonder what would've happened if she really cut loose..."

"I don't even want to think of it; that would be utter disaster."

"Did you see his eyes? Damn, that's a hard-boiled look if I ever saw one..."

The whispers only abated slightly when Sadayo began the lesson, and looks of fear were exchanged between the students, many hoping they weren't the subject of Ann's rage, or perhaps Akira's, for that matter. Morgana, on the other hand, could only pity the students and teacher, knowing they were in for a very... interesting day.

_Let's just hope this doesn't escalate any further, _Thought Morgana.

IIOII

Volleyball practice, the session students dreaded in great measure, primarily because of the tormentor of a teacher who sadistically inflicted injuries on the male students and molested the female ones, the culprit a burly, masculine teacher known infamously as Kamoshida. And the first victim of his abuse for each session? Mishima, due to his puny stature and weakness compared to most, and his naturally submissive attitude when confronted by the teacher.

And since it was volleyball practice, Ann, Akira and Ryuji had to change out of their earlier clothes into sports wear, though Ann stubbornly refused to part with her eye patch and black leather gloves, much to the teachers' frustration.

"Uff!"

And he suffered another attack to the face, the volleyball smacking hard on his nose with full impact, the other students showing nothing but pity, too afraid to confront the bully of a teacher.

"Quickly! Someone call the doctor!"

Kamoshida's supposed gestures of concern served only to mask his sadistic nature, something the students dreaded very much.

Even as someone came to take Mishima away, however, one student decided she had enough.

"Enough of this shit, you fucking bastard!"

And surely enough, Kamoshida's - and everyone's attention was drawn to Ann, who was on the verge of snarling like a rabid animal as she furiously stomped towards Kamoshida, baseball bat in hand.

"Ann? What's the meaning of-urk!"

Kamoshida was sent tumbling backwards as he clutched his face in pain, blood dripping from a broken nose as he reeled from Ann's attack.

"W-Why you little...!" Kamoshida cursed, "You'll pay for that!"

And whistling loudly, his goons came and surrounded Ann, cracking their knuckles in anticipation of the pain they would inflict on the fragile girl. Where most would be cowering and pleading for mercy, however - at least in Shujin, Ann was cackling madly instead, as if she had lost her mind.

"You fucks don't even add to my body count," Said Ann, a wide, mad smile crossing her lips, "It'll take more than a few roaches to stop me!"

Taken aback by Ann's outburst, one of the teachers commented, "T-This girl's got a screw loose!"

"She's just probably doing it for bravado's sake!" Said Kamoshida, "Once we're done with her, she'll be on the ground, screaming for mercy! Just like Shiho did!"

And there it was, the accidental confession from Kamoshida as a result of being too caught up in the moment. Of course, the students were still too afraid of confronting Kamoshida, and the management would attempt to cover it up and say it was pure nonsense, but there was no denying the truth of it, not when he uttered it so sadistically and evilly as he just did.

"Oh? So it was you who pushed her to suicide, eh?" Said Ann, "Well, that means I've got one more reason to bash out your brains, you sick fuck!"

And with blinding speed, Ann unsheathed her dagger and slashed one teacher's eye, drawing much blood, before proceeding to bash him in the head with her bat. A stab to the stomach and another swing to the temple did him in, and he was left clutching his bleeding eye in pain.

And with surprising strength, he tossed it towards another teacher, the weapon hitting him squarely in the face and eliciting a great cry of pain as he clutched his bleeding nose. Angry at this, said teacher grabbed the bat and tried to toss it back at her, but was kicked harshly in the side, the hit cracking his ribs and causing him to spit blood as he fell to the side. And the attacker? Akira himself.

[Insert OST: Receive You (Tech Trance Arrange) - Yakuza 0]

"Akira?" Said Ann.

"W-What the hell!?" Exclaimed one of the teachers, "What's that transfer student's problem!? Isn't he in enough trouble with his criminal record?"

"Criminal record or not, that doesn't stop me from wanting to relive stress with a little fight," Said Akira, cracking his knuckles, "And right now, I'm really pissed off, thanks to some two-bit thugs masquerading as teachers of a prestigious academy, so don't mind me beating the shit out of you bastards."

Kamoshida's thugs looked terribly put off by Akira's confident demeanour when he uttered such words, and one of them moved to punch him. His punch, however, was stopped by a stronger force and a palm on his knuckles. When he turned to look, his skull was subject to a harsh strike from an iron pipe, sending him tumbling down to the ground as he collapsed in a heap.

And Ryuji, ever the confident-looking delinquent since yesterday, strolled towards the teachers that dared perform Kamoshida's sick bidding at his every word, his confident smirk belying the absolute hatred he bore for the P.E. teacher.

"Pardon me interruptin', but I couldn't really ignore you and yer buddies' actions, Kamoshida-han," Said Ryuji, his iron pipe resting on his shoulder, "Hitting and molesting students on our watch? That's a new low."

"R-Ryuji!?" Muttered Kamoshida, "W-What do you think you're doing!? Do you want to get-"

"Cut the crap, ya fucking idiot," Ryuji interjected, his smirk fading to a more serious scowl, one that sent shivers down the teachers' spines, "Y'broke my leg for disobeying you and trying to protect the track team members from yer bullshit, and now you're takin' it out on Mishima-han and the others? Fuck that. I say that ends now, ya bloody bastard."

Kamoshida merely groaned as he stood up, clutching his bleeding nose as he shoved it back into place, saying, "You know what? Forget the school rules! Forget that this is school grounds! These bastards die today!"

Where most of the students stood paralysed with fear, knowing the repercussions of disobeying and opposing Kamoshida, the three troublemakers merely craned their necks and cracked their knuckles, as if they were eager to start the fight. Ann and Ryuji adopting sadistic smirks on their faces served to send shivers down the spines of those present, and the sharp knife that Ann wielded served to reinforce her dangerous image in front of the others.

Akira then said, "Shall we go beat up these pathetic excuses of teachers?"

A mad smile was Ann's response, and she said, "Always after my own heart, Akira-chan! Fuck yeah, let's smash these fucking pussies back home to their shitty mommies!"

"Heh," Ryuji scoffed, "I was looking to have a nice workout with our P.E. teachers, anyway. Count me in, Akira-han."

And as the three of them approached the villainous teachers, Kamoshida and his goons grew frightened of them, though they quickly pushed their fears to the back of their minds, numerical superiority their clear advantage over the three students. Gathering weapons from the storage room, ranging from baseball bats to metal pipes to poles, they surrounded the three Phantom Thieves, armed and ready to pounce on their prey.

With Kamoshida included, their side numbered six, twice the number of the Phantom Thieves.

The two sides stood still, facing each other off in a battle of wills as their stares reflected their will to fight, the intensity of the tension between them so great time had slowed to a standstill, either side awaiting the other to give a response.

Then the first move was made, as a teacher charged Ann with a baseball bat at the ready, aimed at her beautiful - if albeit manical - looking face.

And Ann effortlessly sidestepped him, extending a foot to cause the teacher to slip and lose his footing. As he struggled to regain his balance, his efforts were rewarded with a stamp on his back, the sickening sound of bones crushed registering in the ears of many as his injured spine rendered him unable to fight. Another teacher, who was held in Akira's iron grip, suffered two brutal punches to the face, and was finished off by a headbutt to his nose.

Ryuji, not to be outdone, used his brute strength and iron pipe in a ghastly combination, sending two other teachers face first onto the ground with broken bones, bruised pride and crushed ribs, his victims failing to land a single blow on the delinquent. And much to their infuriation, his smirk more resembled that of a man swatting an incessantly bothersome fly.

Soon, only Kamoshida and one other goon was left, and they were now being cornered. Desperate, Kamoshida resorted to taking one of the female students hostage, holding his arm around her neck in a vice-like grip.

"D-Don't come any closer!" Kamoshida shouted, "Or she gets it!"

The three troublemakers, while stopping in their tracks, appeared unfazed by Kamoshida's attempts at threatening them or delaying them with a hostage. If anything, they merely shook their heads, as if Kamoshida's threat was nothing to take seriously.

"Good grief..." Ann muttered, "Y'really don't know when to give up, do you?"

"Huh?"

"The only one who's getting it is you, dumbass," Said Ryuji, his smirk replaced by an expression of annoyance, "Don't you get it at all, or do we have to hammer it into your thick skull for that?"

"W-What do you mean!? Can't you see that-"

His words came to an abrupt halt, however, when something sharp embedded itself into Kamoshida's right shoulder, forcing him to let go of his hostage as he clutched his bleeding wound and the offending object lodged into his shoulder. To his horror and everyone else's - save for his three enemies, he found Ann's knife lodged into his shoulder, and Ann herself walked towards the now cowering man as his mind struggled to comprehend the look of sheer manical glee that found itself to Ann's face.

"You're so pathetic, Kamoshida..." Said Ann tauntingly, "To think you're the bastard that tormented Shiho just because I refused to comply with your demands, and everyone else on the volleyball and track teams..."

And with one swift, smooth motion, she pulled the knife out of Kamoshida's shoulder, and the teacher could only scream in response to the white, hot pain coursing through it as he fell to the ground, desperately gripping his bleeding wound in an attempt to staunch the flow of blood.

"M-Monster!"

And Kamoshida's goon, in a desperate attempt to avenge his boss's injury, attempted a high blow to Akira with his back turned, only to receive an elbow to his face for his effort.

With Kamoshida and the goons dealt with, Ann was free to walk towards Kamoshida and grip him by the mouth with a gloved hand, Akira and Ryuji keeping an eye on his goons to ensure they stayed put. The other students, having seen firsthand the brutality inflicted on the terrible volleyball teacher and his underlings, made an effort to keep as much distance as possible from both them and the three troublemaker students who did them in.

Faced with a look of pure, unadulterated fury transfixed into an icy glower - from Ann of all people, all vestiges of bravado and courage left Kamoshida in an instant, his face turning white as he confronted the mad dog before him, her chain having come loose.

"Listen to me very carefully, you fucker," Said Ann in a low, but even tone, her words sending chills down Kamoshida's spine, "You're gonna report yourself to the police for charges of molestation, assault and attempted rape, and you're gonna damn make sure everyone in the school knows of it. Also, no telling of our involvement, no abusing anymore students, no dicking around, or you're fucking dead. Understand me?"

Kamoshida could only nod, terrified of the wild beast in front of him, and in response Ann roughly threw him to the floor, his dignity and pride be damned. Not long after, he was forced onto his back by a kick to his chest, and with the wild, restrained fury of a beast unchained, Ryuji stamped on Kamoshida's knee repeatedly, uncaring of the blood that would dirty his shoe. On and on it went, and Kamoshida's shrieks of pain only intensified, and eventually, one could see bone protruding out of bloodied skin and flesh.

Having inflicted his revenge on Kamoshida, Ryuji said with barely-disguised disdain, "That's no less than you deserve, you piece-of-shit teacher."

As they turned to leave, however, Akira had a few more words to say for Kamoshida.

"One piece of advice," He said to the beaten teacher, "Break your word even once..."

His face transfixed into an icy glower similar to Ann's, only more tempered with iron discipline and cold, even fury few could ever match.

"And I will _bury you alive_."

And with that, the three students left him and his goons alone, uncaring of the stares they received from the others.

It was by unanimous decision that the volleyball session was cancelled for the day, and the students promptly left school in subdued silence, unable to comprehend the magnitude of the events that transpired; with three students beating up six teachers that, by logical sense, should have outclassed them, the school's management was in an upheaval, and questions were raised as to whether the incident should be kept under wraps and Kamoshida and his goons only quietly fired from his position.

The students also wondered what would become of the school, were the three to remain, and various questions were debated in their minds, some of them being: 'Will Shujin turn into an Academy of delinquents?', 'Are they going to start bossing us around?', 'Will the teachers have to listen to them?', to name a few.

Whatever would happen, none knew for certain, and they could only hope nothing untoward happened to them that would turn their lives upside down.

IIOII

The next day, students were treated to the hottest news currently airing on televisions both at home and outside and on radios they tuned in to, and they all shared a common subject: Kamoshida.

Unbelievably - in the minds of the Shujin students, Kamoshida was arrested on charges of sexual harassment and abuse and assaulting minors, leading to him being promptly fired from his job and cartered away in a police car to the police station, where he confessed to his crimes. This earned him damnation and a prison sentence of months, perhaps years even, and even if he got off lightly, the black mark on his record ensured he would be scorned and blacklisted for years to come. When asked who inflicted his injuries, however, he was known to have been exceptionally tight-lipped on the matter, refusing to even utter a single word as he shivered in fear.

Would that they could, the police would have tried to pry further, but Kamoshida's vehement refusal to speak of the culprit responsible for his injuries - even with all the coaxing, bribing or intimidating they employed - left them at a dead end, and so with reluctance, they let the matter be.

Not long after his arrest and confession, numerous vultures calling themselves journalists flocked to Shujin for the latest scoop, and having interviewed many students (many of their identities sworn to secrecy), their stories matched with Kamoshida's story, sealing the teacher's fate.

His goons, likewise, would be subject to prison terms for being accomplices in covering up his crimes, and like Kamoshida, they would be stained by their black marks for life.

Watching the news being broadcast on the television in Leblanc, Ryuji simply scoffed, muttering, "That's no less than what he deserved, the bastard."

It was currently late evening, and the cafe Leblanc was now empty save for the two of them - three, including Morgana, with Sojiro having entrusted the cafe to Akira's safekeeping as he left for home. As such, it offered as much privacy as any isolated room did, their words safe from prying ears.

Placing a cup of coffee in front of Ryuji, Akira said, "You'd be wondering what's the point of stealing his treasure with all that happened, and if we really need to visit people's palaces."

"Have to agree, Akira-han," Said Ryuji, "I mean, we single-handedly beat up that damn bastard and his goons, all without our powers or Personas, and I'm still wonderin' if we still gotta steal that treasure of his."

"Even so, we did receive our powers for a reason, and it'd be rather anti-climatic if we received them only to ditch them later," Akira stated, "Speaking of which, word will spread that we were the ones that beat up Kamoshida's gang, even if they're keeping quiet about it."

"Yeah, though the guys at Shujin'll probably wanna keep it under wraps," Ryuji stated, "Guessin' they're pretty damn afraid of us now."

To Ryuji's side, Morgana lay helplessly forlorn and fatigued on the bar counter, the colour and energy leeched from his face. Unable to even muster any energy to utter so much as a meow, he was left mostly alone, even with Sojiro offering it the best tuna money could buy.

"Lady Ann... Lady Ann... don't go shattering my image of you..." He mumbled lifelessly, his words so soft-spoken it took extra-careful hearing to discern them.

"Poor Morgana... scared so shitless he ain't gonna talk sass for god-knows-how-long," Ryuji remarked.

"Be nice to the poor cat, Ryuji. He's had a rough day," Akira said.

"But it's a damn good day for us, right?" Said Ryuji, "I mean, bastard's been brought down, ain't it a moment to celebrate?"

Akira smirked at that, saying, "Guess I'll drink to that."

Pouring himself a cup of coffee, Akira raised his cup to Ryuji, saying, "To good times and a bright future."

"And to beating up more shits like Kamoshida!"

And they both shared a hearty laugh, sipping their piping hot coffee as they toasted to a young night.

**A/N: Took a while to write this. Lots of computer homework and studying kept my time occupied.**


	4. Takamaki Everywhere

**A/N: Been a while since I last uploaded anything on Fanfiction. Regardless, here is another one-shot, dedicated to one of my favourite features of Yakuza Kiwami.**

**Takamaki Everywhere**

Takamaki Ann, the fashion model turned crazy, psychotic-looking thug ready to beat up passersby at the slightest whim, was leaning her head on her desk as she sighed in boredom, her ears tuning out the boring lecture their teacher, Ms Chono, was delivering. Not that she found the lesson boring, but she was growing tired of the rather monotonous routine of High School, something that seemed to drain the energy out of her each day.

_And Japanese youths complain that school's borin', _Thought Ann, _Fuck being good-mannered, I can't stand this boring shit every goddamned day! The school needs some real entertainment!_

Akira seemed to be listening, but Ann knew he was also droning out from the lack of concentration in his eyes, perhaps just as equally bored as her. Yet he showed basic courtesy by not acting disinterested in the slightest, something she gave commendation for.

_Seems Akira-chan's damn bored out of his mind as well; ever since Kamoshida, the students and teachers're shyin' away from us wherever we go! Ain't no bullies even pickin' a fight with us! Hot damn, I really want some action t'spice up this boring school!_

As she thought this, however, an idea suddenly popped into her head.

_Wait a minute, that's it! _Ann thought excitedly, _If no one's givin' us action, I'll just give us some action!_

And the smile of joy on Ann's face, easily mistaken for one of psychotic glee, terrified some of the nearby students who had the misfortune of seeing her face. When the teacher saw it, she faked ignorance and simply focused on her lesson, though she seemed to be scribbling less-sensible facts on the blackboard in her distracted state.

IIOII

It was lunch hour, and many of the students who had no bento of their own flocked to the school cafeteria, throngs of them queueing up at the various stalls serving delicious fare from katsu sandwiches to yakisoba bread, and even fried rice. Some bought back lunches to their classrooms, some lucky students managed to take seats at the tables provided at the cafeteria, animatedly chatting with each other over trivial, mundane things in life.

There was one table, however, that the students made sure to completely avoid, and it was the table claimed by Akira and Ryuji, who ate in almost complete and utter silence as they munched on their sandwiches.

Many students traded hushed whispers as they cast glances at who they considered the black sheep of the school, careful to ensure they were not caught snooping on them.

"You think they're trying to make their own gang or something?"

"No way, how easy do you think it is?"

"I just hope they don't turn out as bad as Kamoshida, even though they helped take care of him."

All the while Ryuji sighed, taking another bite as he absentmindedly listened to the chatter exchanged among the students.

"Hey, Akira," Said Ryuji, "You think school's become a little borin' or somethin'? I think it's become a little dull for me."

Akira merely sighed, saying, "It's not the first time you've talked to me about this, and I don't think it'll be the last."

"But you gotta admit, school's become so fuckin' boring," Said Ryuji, his kansai-ben thick in his words, "I mean, sure the teachers aren't totally bad, and their lessons are rather good, it's just... don't you think there's something missing?"

Akira remained silent for a moment, contemplating his answer.

"If I were to be honest, yes," Said Akira, "But I can't really place what it is."

Morgana, taking care to not be discovered, poked his head out of the handbag, saying, "Hey, please don't tell me you're going to do something stupid, you two. It's bad enough we've developed such a reputation for being Yakuza-like thugs, but please don't give Lady Ann encouragement; I have a bad feeling she might do something stupid if you do."

"Even after all that's happened, you still call her Lady Ann," Mused Ryuji, "What a lovestruck cat you are."

"And like I said, I'm not a damn cat," Said Morgana, "But we do have to watch ourselves, unless we get even more unwanted attention."

"Didn't you say that about a week earlier?" Said Akira.

"Yes, but your fight with Kamoshida happened, and look how much attention we're receiving now," Morgana pointed out, "And to think we ended up never really using the Palace we discovered..."

The two continued to eat in silence, though Ryuji was the first to ask, "Hey, where's Ann? Thought she'd be here by now; no way anyone takes this long ordering food."

"Now that you mention it, she is strangely late," Said Akira, "In any case, I'll just dump my can of tea first."

Yet as Akira moved to open the rubbish bin, however, his hand halted in its motion, his senses tingling for some reason.

Soon enough, he was proven right as the trash bin opened on his own.

[Insert OST - Funk Goes On, Yakuza Kiwami]

"Akira-chan!"

And Akira had to narrowly dodge a knife swing to his face as he instinctively raised his hand to block.

Ann's knife sliced the aluminium can, cutting through as if it were melted butter, and the sound of steel against aluminium sent nearly the entire canteen into a panic as Akira now found himself fighting against Ann, seemingly for his very survival as he dodged knife swings with deft ease.

With lightning reflexes, he dodged Ann's attacks with inhuman speed, and lashing out with his fists he landed scores of hits on Ann, the bone-crushing impact sending her flying and causing onlookers to flinch greatly.

Not defeated yet, however, Ann merely rebounded from the shock and with impossible speed, landed a flying kick against Akira which he barely managed to block, and when his guard was down, slashed him across the chest, drawing blood.

The other students and teachers screamed when they saw Akira bleeding from his chest, yet the two Yakuza continued to fight with gusto, heedless of their surroundings as they wrecked the canteen, smashing tables and chairs and other furniture in the process. Akira even took a trash can and used it to smash Ann onto the ground, and people wondered why she still remained alive, despite receiving what must have been a bone-crushing impact.

As for Ryuji, the blonde-haired man simply sat at one side, completely ignoring the shocked, agape faces of the onlookers as he watched the fight with a casual smile, as if it were a perfectly normal routine.

"Heh, figures," Said Ryuji, "Quite a welcome break from the boring school life, I'd say."

Anyone within earshot who managed to hear his words merely looked at him in utter disbelief, thinking him a freak, but he paid them no mind.

Among the onlookers was Mishima, who began to seriously wonder if the three Yakuza-like students were in the right state of mind.

And who was positively freaked out by the sudden brawl in the canteen of all places.

_W-What the hell...? _Mishima thought, mentally sweatdropping, _It's almost as if they're altogether different people._

Eventually, the fight ended as Ann was smashed against the wall, kicked in the face by Akira as they both fell to the floor in exhaustion.

For a moment, none dared say a word, lest they only worsen the situation and, god forbid, reignite another brawl between themselves.

Then Ann cackled gleefully and stood up, as if none of her injuries gave her any discomfort, and stood up from her earlier position with absolute nonchalance and disregard for her pain, not unlike in a comedic television show.

"Ghehahaha!" Cackled Ann, "Now that's a good fight, Akira-chan!"

"Am I to guess you were bored out of your mind?" Asked Akira, "I can't think of any other reason you'd pick a random fight like that."

"Damn right I was!" Replied Ann, taking two bottles of Staminan X from her pocket, "Here, one for you."

Both drank their drinks, and almost impossibly flesh knitted together and bruises faded in the blink of an eye, and they both showed no signs of earlier injury.

"But it was fun!" Said Ann, "Thanks for that, Akira-chan!"

"Heh, you're welcome, I suppose," Said Akira.

"But..." Ann said, "Why not we do it again?"

"No," Said Akira flatly, "Once is enough."

Ann, as if facing heartbreak, slumped seemingly in defeat, saying, "That's no fair, Akira-chan."

The bell rung, and students quickly dispersed from the canteen to go back to their respective classrooms.

"Whatever..." Said Akira, "Come on, Ann, time to go back to class."

"Guess I'll be seein' you later," Said Ryuji.

Ann, however, had a very suspicious gleam in her eye, and a devilish smile crossed her face as ideas crossed her mind.

_Yes... that's it!_

Akira felt a bad premonition that moment, and he dearly hoped it was not something bad.

And sadly, things rarely go the way people want them to.

IIOII

And Akira's premonitions would prove right when suddenly, in the middle of Akira's English class, Ann popped out her knife and almost sliced Akira's paperwork in half, cutting deep into his desk as she narrowly missed her mark. Ms. Chouno, who had the unfortunate prospect of witnessing a cackling, evil-looking, psychotic Ann slicing at Akira with her knife, felt so much shock she instantly fainted on the spot, though thankfully it was more dignified. Were it to happen more... embarrassingly, many doubted she could ever show her face again.

Once again, students suffered shock, and shied away to one corner of the classroom to avoid being injured in the crossfire.

And as quickly as it began, it ended when Ann got kicked out the window.

Good news? She was unharmed. Bad news? She still wanted to fight.

And sadly, for Akira, his torment would continue for several days straight.

* * *

In the toilet...

"Akira-chan!" Shouted Ann, bursting from the toilet bowl and getting a plunger to the face.

* * *

On the streets...

"Akira-chan!" She shouted, emerging from a manhole cover.

* * *

In the back alleys...

"Akira-chan!"

Emerging from a dumpster and getting chucked into the garbage truck.

* * *

When Akira next entered class, he crashed onto his table and went to sleep, far too drained of energy from having to constantly fend off ambushes from Ann. Looking at his tired form, none could bring themselves to say anything to him, partly because they were scared shitless, partly because they knew not what to say, and partly because they felt there was not much point in doing so.

Kawakami Sadayo, who happened to be Akira's current teacher for the lesson, rubbed her head in exasperation, not expecting to deal with a tired student on her hands.

_Then again, there's Ann we have to worry about... _Thought Sadayo with trepidation, _I hope she doesn't try again, or else-_

"Akira-chan!"

_I spoke too soon! _Thought Sadayo with horror as she saw Ann burst out of the ceiling, screaming in shock as Ann marched towards the sleeping form of Akira.

Only for her to be grabbed by the collar of her jacket as she stared into the sleep-deprived, menacing eyes of Akira as he stared into her soul.

"Ah... Akira-chan...?"

"You. Will. Stop. Right. Now." Said Akira slowly, his voice deep and terrifying beyond compare, "Understand me?"

"Um... Uh... Y-Yes, sir."

The sudden change in Ann's demeanour was not lost on the witnesses, nor was the absolute power he held over Ann in that moment as he brought the Mad Dog to heel with but a few words.

"Good, now get out."

Letting go, Akira went back to sleep, and Ann quickly ran out of the classroom, mouthing an "I'm sorry for my rudeness" before she jumped out the door, ignoring the looks others gave her.

Sadayo sighed in relief, muttering, "Well, that's taken care of, at least."

Akira's loud snoring broke her train of thought, and she knew the classroom wasn't exactly the place to nap or snore so loudly.

"Can someone take him to the nurse's office, please...?"


	5. The Tiger of Shujin, Part I

**A/N: Here's some good ol' Makoto for you guys.**

**The Tiger of Shujin, Part I**

Nijima Makoto, President of the Student Council, lamented the amount of paperwork she had to handle as always, day in, day out. Each time she thought she made a dent, the mountain only continued to expand. Each time she was about to finish, her torment was only prolonged - defying her expectations.

"Haa..."

Her long, suffering sigh would go unnoticed, her being the only person present in the Student Council Office.

"Every day, it's the same like this..." Said Makoto, "I really need a break."

Deciding to push aside her paperwork, she stood up and stretched her back and arms, relishing the loosening of her stiff muscles from an hour of sitting.

"Alright, might as well take a walk around the school," Said Makoto, "Eh? What's that?"

She then walked over towards the object her eyes caught at the corner of the office, and picking it up, she saw it was a small bottle - small enough to fit into her palm - labeled Staminan X.

"What is this? Staminan X?" Said Makoto, "Who would even bring something like this to school, let along leave it here? It just doesn't make sense."

Inspecting the bottle more carefully, Makoto said, "So it's an energy drink of sorts. But who in this school would ever bring this here? It's definitely not a sports drink, that's for sure."

Feeling her throat slightly dry, Makoto said, "I'm thirsty anyway, and my bottle's empty - I'd have to walk all the way to one end of the school to refill it. Oh well, bottoms up."

And in one gulp, she downed the entire bottle. Soon, student councilors were found desperately carrying Makoto's unconscious form to the Nurse's Office.

IIOII

"So hang on, it wasn't enough that you, Ryuji and Ann got the drink, but somehow Makoto's imbibed it as well?" Said Morgana, "As far as I'm concerned, she's a total stranger."

"Were you expecting such effects to be limited to our group?" Asked Akira.

"Well, yes," Morgana admitted, "Though with this, we'll have to rule out that possibility."

"Still, ain't like we can just turn a blind eye to it, can we?" Said Ann, munching on some curry, "Quite like what happened to the three o' us, we might be having similar chaos happenin' with Makoto in the mix."

"Oh, how astute," Said Morgana, "But you have a point."

"And then there's shit teachers like that Kamoshida," Said Ryuji, "Ain't gonna be long 'fore some heads start t'turn."

"Ryuji, you're forgetting that we're absolutely atrocious at keeping a low profile," Said Akira, "We not only smashed Kamoshida's leg in front of an audience, we even started acting openly like real gangsters."

"Oh, does that mean-"

"Ann, no," Said Akira firmly, "No ambushing me."

"Aww..." Ann said, pouting like a child, "You're no fun."

"Says the one whose notion of 'fun' is twisted beyond imagination," Said Akira.

Morgana sighed, and said, "Please, Ann-dono, please listen to Akira's advice for once."

Though not entirely convinced, Ann said, "Fine. If you say so."

However terrified of the new, psychotic Ann he was, Morgana nonetheless let out a sigh of happiness, as if happy to receive such words from her.

"Still, what're we gonna do 'bout her?" Asked Ryuji, "Makoto, that is."

"I don't know," Said Akira, "For now, I guess we can only wait and see."

"Sounds best," Said Ann, "And let's hope a particularly shitty principal doesn't butt his head into things."

IIOII

_The next day..._

Gossip among the students was particularly fierce, and a cacophony of whispers could be heard in every corridor and classroom of the academy no matter the location.

"Hey, have you heard?"

"The Student Council President's wearing some strangely stylish outfit to school!"

"Wait, isn't that against the school rules?"

"Well, not exactly, if you count Ann and Ryuji."

"But a winter coat? Seriously? That's quite a change from the school uniform."

Indeed, rather than wear her school uniform, Makoto now wore a deep green heavy jacket - the collar lined with green-coloured padding and the hood lined with light brown-coloured fur - over a long-sleeved black T-shirt and camouflaged pants, and black boots. Where once she walked like a person heavily burdened by her duties, now she walked with the gait of a confident gangster.

"Ah... it's a pain," Said Makoto, her voice carrying a thick kansai-ben accent, "Paperwork on paperwork - am I a glorified clerk or somethin'? Then again, running a Clan ain't without paperwork either. Ah fuck, I'll just get a drink."

She went to a vending machine, but she quickly saw that there were no alcoholic drinks on sale.

"Ah, right. This is a school, ain't no place to buy a can o' beer," Makoto said in frustration, "Oh well."

And so she settled for some oolong tea, the cooling drink quenching her thirst like an oasis in a desert.

"Ah... nothing like good ol' Oolong Tea," Said Makoto.

A loud scream was heard, and Makoto quickly turned to face the direction it came from.

"That sound... it came from the main gate!" Said Makoto in alarm, crumpling her empty can and tossing it into a nearby bin.

As she made a mad dash towards the entrance area, she could hear an announcement playing on the speaker system, saying, "_All students, please remain in your classrooms and do not come out under any circumstances - let the teachers handle this. I repeat: All students, please remain in your classrooms and do not come out under any circumstances - let the teachers handle this._"

"Ye're shittin' me!?" Cursed Makoto, "Ain't no way I can jus' leave things like this!"

And just as Makoto suspected, there was an entire gang of thugs blockading the entrance and holding a girl hostage, armed to the teeth with bats and other weapons they could get their hands on. Outside, a cluster of motorcycles was parked, blocking the flow of traffic on the road outside. Doing a mental count, Makoto saw as many as twenty punks.

"Alright, you bastards!" Shouted their leader, "We've got one demand! Bring us that shitty fucking excuse of a Principal, and we'll let this girl go!"

"No! Help me!" Shouted the girl!"

"Shut up!" Said the leader, slapping the girl, "You're our hostage until we get what we want, and until then, you ain't going anywhere."

"Oi!" Said Makoto, "Let her go."

"Oh, who's this?" Said Punk One, "Oh, it's that shitty Student Council President. Wait, what the fuck's with her change of fashion?"

"Maybe she got sick of catering to the Principal's demands?" Said Punk Two.

"Heh, or she thinks she's a knight in shining armour!" Punk Three said derisively.

"Well, Miss president, I'm feeling a little gracious," Said the Punk Leader, "I'll give you once chance; leave and do not interfere. Our quarrel's with the president, not you."

"Oh, and why should I listen to you?" Said Makoto, "As far as I'm concerned, ya punks ain't stoppin' at anything t'get what ya want; I've met your type before."

"Is that to say you won't be minding your own business?" Said the Punk Leader, brandishing a knife.

Makoto cracked his knuckles in response, saying, "What else did ya think?"

"Fine then," Said the Punk Leader, "If that's the case, die!"

**A/N: Yeah, it's a cliffhanger, I know. Sorry, but there's a lot of noise from renovation works and drilling at my place - not a conducive environment for writing. I'll get to working on the next part.**


End file.
